The Strangest Things
by The-X-Men-Lover
Summary: (Takes place during Season 1 Episode 6) Nancy, Jonathan and Steve see too much, so they're kidnapped, drugged and taken to the Hawkins National Laboratory. They wake up with new tattoos-and superpowers. Three teenagers on the run from the law with powers they can barely control. What could go wrong?
1. Jonathan (Chapter 1)

**Hello all! This is the first chapter of my first story! I hope you all enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or this universe.**

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**Jonathan**

I observe. It's what I do. Others love to be the center of attention, under the brilliant glare of a spotlight. Me, I prefer being the one operating behind the scenes. It's like that saying. _Out of sight, out of mind_. Hell, even if I was standing in front of you, you'd probably just look past me. And I was fine with that. Totally fine. Until that one day. I had woken up early, per usual, and had just started making breakfast when my mom dashed into our tiny kitchen, her voice octaves higher than it should've been. I didn't know what was wrong. Apparently, Will wasn't in our house, or anyone's house for that matter. He was gone. Vanished. Missing.

Then, everybody was looking at me. I wasn't ready for the glare of the spotlight, I don't know how anyone can be. Some told me they were sorry for my loss. I wanted to scream at them. _He's not gone! He's not dead! _And then, after that night in the forest, when Barbara Holland disappeared right before my eyes, something seemed off. That feeling got even stronger when Will's body was fished out of the lake. He had lived in Hawkins his whole life, how would he be able to fall off that quarry? He could probably navigate it blindfolded, with his hands tied behind his back.

But I accepted it. I had to. Even if mom wouldn't. Saying he was in the lights, stringing them up across the house. And the responsibility fell on me, to find a coffin for my little brother while my mom went bats*** crazy. It tore me apart. Will was the one who was going to do something with his life. I was just the crash test dummy. And no one cares what happens to the crash test dummy. But now, everyone was watching the crash test dummy, waiting for me to slip up, so they could pounce on my mistakes, like lions on a wounded gazelle. And after that day in the school parking lot, with the pictures from the forest scattered around me and my camera smashed, everyone was circling, preparing to pounce. Everyone except Nancy. She was what scared the lions away. She came back, telling me about the figure behind Barb. Maybe, just maybe, Mom wasn't crazy. So we went monster hunting, looking for Barb and that ...thing. We found it. Or, rather Nancy did.

A parallel universe that existed within our own. I mean, really? Apparently so. And Steve, a jealous, vengeful boyfriend who keeps Nancy on a short leash, punishing her when she even hangs out with other guys? Apparently so. Although, this is less of a surprise than the alternate universe.

I didn't know this until Nancy and I went looking for weapons that could kill the beast. Then we ran into a different kind of monster. Specifically of the green-eyed type. I guess I let my temper get the best of me, and someone called the cops. So I ran. Mom didn't need my arrest right now. Not on top of everything else.

And that about brings us up to speed. I'm currently running from the police, following the person I just beat up, chasing an interdimensional beast with a girl way out of my league.

"Jonathan!" Nancy called, grabbing my shoulder and pulling me behind a trash can.

We peered over the edge of the silver can, watching the cops run by. I slid down against the rough stone wall, glancing down at my bloodied knuckles. I noticed Nancy looking at them too.

"So, that graffiti was…"

"I don't wanna talk about it." Nancy said quickly. I shoved my hands in my pockets.

"Sure." My cheeks reddened.

A sudden clatter startled the two of us. I snapped my head up and instinctively reached for my camera, but was met with empty air. Right. Another thing destroyed by King Steve.

Two men in white coats stood by an unmarked van with a body at their feet. Will's body.

"Is that..." Nancy started.

"Yes." Anger flared inside me.

"Look. What's that fuzz around his body?" Nancy squinted, ponting at Will's chest.

"I dunno. It looks like stuffing."

"Why would Will be stuffed?" Nancy murmured, mostly to herself. The realization hit me like a truck.

Mom. When we went to confirm the identity of the body they fished out of the quarry, she said that it wasn't Will. I dismissed it as grief, but what if she was right? I shuffled closer, Nancy on my tail.

"Where do you think you're going, Byers?" Steve grabbed me by the scruff of the jacket, pulling me closer to his busted face. My knee slammed against a trash can, sending it careening to the ground with a loud clatter.

The men in white turned around, dropping my brother's 'body' unceremoniously in the van.

"S***." Nancy cursed under her breath.

"Is that little Byers in the van?" Steve laughed. "I thought he was dead." I spun around, ready to defend my brother when Nancy interrupted.

"Shut up and run." She shoved us forward and we started running, but we didn't get very far before I felt a sharp prick in the back of my neck.

"Nancy…" The world was spinning, almost in slow motion. The alleyway blurred as I fell to the ground, slamming my head into the cement. I was dully aware of Nancy and Steve hitting the pavement just ahead. And then everything went black.


	2. Nancy (Chapter 2)

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or this universe **

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**Nancy **

I woke up with a pounding headache and a new tattoo. Specifically, the number 015. I groaned and looked around. I was in a white room with nothing other than four walls, a floor and a roof, all impossibly clean. Soon enough my eyes focused in on two other figures. It was Steve and Jonathan. I stood up from the floor and immediately fell back down, the world twirling like a carnival merry-go-round. My stomach heaved like I'd just eaten too much food, and spots appeared in front of my eyes. I closed my eyes and waited for the feeling to subside.

"Nancy…" Jonathan murmured. I crawled toward him and shook his shoulder.

"Jonathan!" I glanced down at his wrist. He also had a tattoo. 014. I grabbed Steve's wrist and sure enough, 016.

"What the hell…." Steve sat up first, Jonathan still murmuring. Steve cradled his own head between his hands. "What happened?"

"I think we were kidnapped." I said quietly, just coming to the realization myself.

"Where are we?"

"I don't know."

"Where's Byers?" Steve stood up slowly.

"His name is Jonathan." I said defiantly.

"Fine. Where's Jonathan?" Steve stressed the last word. I pointed to Jonathan's unconscious form as Steve's eyes fixed on my outstretched wrist.

"Is that a tattoo?" He asked, pulling my wrist closer to him. I jerked my hand back.

"I think so." I said coldly. "Jonathan's got one too, and so do you." Steve glanced down at his wrist, running his thumb over the black tattoo, the skin around it still very pink and raw. _That means we got these tattoos recently, so we must've only just been kidnapped a few hours, if not minutes ago._ I deduced. Steve spoke up again, startling me back into reality.

"Hey, about the graffiti, I..."

"I don't want to hear it, Steve." I crossed the room and shook Jonathan's shoulder again.

"Wake up."

He rolled over slowly, pulling himself into a sitting position.

"Where's Will?"

"I don't know, I don't even know where we are." I said gently.

"S***." He stood up, wobbling for a moment or two before finding his footing.

"Yep." I sighed, playing with the zipper on my jacket as I paced across the room. If I tried, I could cross the room in four large steps.

Suddenly, a weird sensation overtook me, It was like an electrical current was running through my body. I shook it off.

"We need to find out where we are, and how we can get out." I muttered, mostly to myself.

"I'm afraid Miss Nancy Wheeler, that will not be possible." An unfamiliar voice echoed throughout the room. The three of us spun around, blatant shock displayed on our faces.

"How do you know my name?" I hissed.

"I know all your names. Steve Harrington, Jonathan Byers. Sorry about your brother, by the way." The man was tall, with pale white hair and a dark suit. He brushed imaginary lint off his impeccably clean cuff and looked at us all in turn. Assessing us. Appraising us.

"You'd know all about his death, wouldn't you?" Jonathan snarled, taking a step forward.

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're implying, Mr Byers." The pale-haired man smiled. It wasn't a friendly smile, it was a sharp, predatory smile, one I'd imagine a shark would make before consuming its prey.

"Can someone please explain what's going on?" Steve whined. I kicked him and whispered, "For once in your damn life, shut your mouth." He complied.

"Well, Mr Harrington, you have a right to be confused. But, according to my men, they saw you and your two friends forcing Will Byers off the edge of the quarry, causing little Mr. Byers to hit the water, ultimately killing him. So, until the foreseeable future, the three of you will be detained here. For the safety of the public, of course."

"Bulls***! Will's still alive! You planted that body!" Jonathan yelled.

"Will's still alive?" Steve piped up again, so I kicked him again.

The pale-haired man's watch beeped and he glanced down at it. "I think you've gone into shock, Mr. Byers. After all, murder has quite a profound impact on the human psyche. We'll continue this conversation when you're in a better state of mind."

The man pulled a key out of his pocket and used it to open a windowless door I hadn't noticed before.

"I do hope you'll remember this before you consider murder again in the future." The man said, condescending. The door closed with a slam, the quiet click of a lock following. Steve dashed to the door, pounding his fists on the white metal.

"Let us out!" He cried. "You can't keep us locked up like this!"

"He can." I called, defeated. "And he will." I whispered.

We sat in silence for about fifteen minutes before the door opened again. My headache, previously subsided, returned with a vengeance. This time it wasn't just the pale-haired man. Beside him was a scrawny man who looked like he'd been playing hide and seek with the sun, pushing a tray full of tools with an armed guard flanking him. Apparently the qualifications for being hired included being able to match your skin tone to a piece of white paper.

"I promised Edgar here that one day, he would be able to dissect the brains of murderers, so I hope you don't mind that I volunteered you three." My heart stopped. We were in way over our heads. These guys were prepared to kill to keep up the illusion that Will died. If we didn't get out now, unimaginable horrors awaited us with the pale-haired man and his cronies.

"S***. We need to get out of here." Steve murmured, echoing my thoughts.

"I'm open to suggestions." I watched Edgar run his hands over several long saws, before picking one up, a placid smile on his skinny face.

"On the count of three we run." Steve said. In the heat of the moment, my adrenaline fueled brain thought that was an incredible idea, so I subtly nodded. Jonathan did the same.

"One." Steve murmured. My heartbeat quickened. _Mess this up, and you're all but dead._ My brain cautioned.

"Two." I exhaled slowly, my breath hitching in my throat.

"Three." I shot off, the many years of chasing my brother around the house paying off. Steve pulled ahead and Jonathan fell into step a few strides behind me. Steve shoved past Edgar, knocking him to the ground with a well-placed shoulder check. Edgar fell back, dragging the pale-haired man down with him.

"Get off of me, you imbecile!" He cried. We sped up, trying to beat the guard to the door, who clearly wasn't prepared for his prey to dash. But, nonetheless he was still a step ahead. Chuckling, he grabbed Jonathan by the back of his jacket. Jonathan let out a yelp of surprise and disappeared.

Yep. Disappeared. I spun around, grabbing Steve's shoulder.

"Where'd he go?" The man shoved his gun into its holster and spun around. "Where the f*** did he go?" The gun slowly lifted, seemingly of its own accord. Once the gun was free of its holster, it slammed into the guard's head and went flying through the air, landing at my feet. I picked it up, wiping the blood off as the guard collapsed.

Suddenly, Jonathan reappeared next to me, his nose bleeding.

"Go, go, go." He pushed us out of the room. We dashed into a long cement corridor, our shoes slapping the hard ground. I spared one last glance at the room. A storm cloud was painted on the door, and next to it stood the guard, holding his bloody head and shouting into a walkie-talkie.

Sirens started blaring and I covered my ears.

"Where are we going?" I shouted over the noise.

"I don't know!" Steve called as we turned a corner.

"Guys, window!" Jonathan panted, pointing to a window at the end of the hall. "Maybe we can jump-"

"It isn't like the movies. Smashing the glass would cut our skin to pieces." I rationalized, recalling an incident in which Mike had tried to punch out a window like an action hero, which resulted in a visit to the emergency room.

"We have to try!" Steve ran for the window, slamming his shoulder against it. Nothing happened.

"The glass must be bulletproof." I observed.

"C'mon…" He tried again. I skidded to a stop next to him. I could hear footfalls somewhere nearby. A lot of them.

"Hurry!" Jonathan glanced around the corner and immediately pulled his head back around, bullets ripping through the air where he was a second ago. His eyes were wide with fear, and he tapped his fingers rapidly against his old jeans.

"S***!" Steve slammed his fists against the glass. "S***. S***. S***!" He threw his hands out at the window and the glass shattered, the air around the window and Steve's open palms distorting. He staggered back a step.

"What the hell was that?!" I screeched.

"It doesn't matter, just get out!" He yelled. I climbed out onto a ledge. A long overhang sat a few meters below me and I jumped onto it, Steve and Jonathan close behind. I glanced back. Steve's nose was bleeding like Jonathan's had been moments prior, and his face was blanched.

"Where now?" I yelled, my ears still ringing, the adrenaline slowly fading from my veins.

"Parking lot!" Steve called back, pointing at a large concrete lot with a few cars in it. I hopped off the overhang and started running, my breathing erratic._What's going on? Why can Jonathan disappear? Why can Steve shatter __bulletproof__glass?_ I asked myself, but no rational answer came to mind.

I started looking through car windows, searching for keys left out in the open. Finally, I found a winner. A black, four door car with the keys resting on the driver's seat. I beckoned Steve and Jonathan over, the latter out of breath.

"Jonathan, can you get in?"

"If you've got a bobby pin, then yeah." His breathing slowed. I pulled a bobby pin out of my hair and handed it to Jonathan. He stretched it so it was a straight line and stuck it in the lock, fiddling around for a moment before we heard a click. He pulled the door open, sent a pleading look at Steve and said, "Please don't ask why I know how to do that." before getting in. I ran around to the passenger side, sliding onto the warm leather seat.

"Seriously? Why do I always get the back?" Steve sighed, opening the rear door.

"Hey!" A man sat up on the backseat. His dark hair was disheveled, and his eyes were tired. He looked like he'd just woken up from a nap. We all froze, the keys in the ignition, Jonathan's hand resting on top of them.

"What're you doing in my car?!" He pulled a gun out of his waistband and pointed it at me. The electrical feeling I felt earlier reappeared and this time, instead of shoving it away, I embraced it. I closed my eyes and an image popped into my head. The man's arm breaking. I heard a crack and a scream of pain. I snapped my eyes open and glanced at the man.

White bone stuck up from the pale flesh of his forearm, the skin clinging to his arm like undercooked pasta. The metallic scent of blood filled the car. His eyes widened and then he was unconscious, probably passed out from the pain. Bile rose in my throat and I covered my mouth.

"Nance, did you do that?" Steve asked.

"I think so." I shuddered. Suddenly, I felt something warm dripping from my nose. I wiped it with the back of my hand. Great, guess I just joined the nosebleed club. Steve grabbed the man and dragged him on to the ground, grabbing the gun and throwing it onto the seat next to him.

"Alright Johnny boy, let's get the hell out of here." Jonathan put the car into reverse and we drove out of the parking lot. I glanced out the back window and saw the silhouette of the pale-haired man burst out of the lab, a platoon of men behind him, all armed to the teeth with weapons. But, by the time they decided to put those weapons to use, we were long gone.

_Last weekend I was shopping for a shirt I thought Steve would like. Earlier today I was hunting a monster with Jonathan Byers. And now I'm in a stolen car on the run from men who want to kill me. Next thing you know, I'll be saving the world._ I mused.

Well, I wasn't too far off.


	3. Steve (Chapter 3)

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or this universe.**

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**Steve**

We sped down the highway, passing a sign declaring that we were now leaving Hawkins. I stretched out across the back seats, the radio a dull, white noise. Nancy stared forlornly out the front window, and Byers chewed on his bottom lip.

"Where are we going?" I asked, throwing my arm over my face melodramatically.

"Away. We don't want to put our families in danger." Byers responded. I rolled my eyes. Alrighty, Superman, speak for yourself. Why couldn't it just be Nancy? Why did he have to come too? _Where else was he supposed to go?_ The rational side of my brain asked. I ignored it, weaving intricate fantasies in my head about what would happen, where we would go, if Byers wasn't here.

"The first order of business should be food." Nancy said.

"I agree." I said, sitting up.

"Does anyone have any cash?" Nancy asked.

"Not enough to buy anything." Byers sighed.

"Great. Now what?" Nancy asked.

"You" I indicated Byers. "turn on your magical invisibility powers and rob a 7/11." I said.

"I can't just turn it on and off! It's like..." He trailed off.

"Like there's an electrical charge running through your veins!" Nancy finished, pointing at him with a snap. They smiled at each other. Ugh. Barf.

"Yes, I'm so glad we know what it feels like to be freaks." I spat. Byers opened his mouth, a witty rebuttal presumably on the tip of his tongue. "But that's not important, we need to get food." He closed his mouth and stared out at the road. Three cars rushed past before he reached a decision.

"Fine, let's rob a store." He sighed, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel

We pulled up at a 7/11, not another soul in sight and a bored looking teenager standing at the counter.

"Alright Byers, time to disappear." I leaned forward expectantly. He closed his eyes and scrunched his eyebrows together. His figure flickered, but he stayed opaque.

"S***. I can't do it. The electricity's there, but it's too far down." He slumped back against the seat, defeated.

"Alright, plan B. Nancy, you're gonna break her arm." She glanced at me, shocked. "Or a finger, I don't care." I said, hoping that that amended my previous statement.

"Or, we guilt trip her into giving us free food..?" She offered.

"Fine. But if that doesn't work…" I mimed breaking an arm. Our trio got out of 'our' car, and walked into the 7/11, grabbing food and drinks off the shelves. My heart pounded in my head, and I caught a glimpse of myself in a handheld mirror. Blood was crusted onto my face, and my lip was split directly up the middle. I picked at the blood around my eye, red flakes landing on the ground around me.

"Rough day?" The teen called, her black hair falling in front of her face.

"The worst." I slipped on a cocky smile and stepped up to the register. "But you know what would make it better?"

"What?" She leaned forward, biting her cherry red lip.

"This." I held up a bottle of Pepsi. "And this, and this and this, and…" I leaned forward and pecked her on the lips. "And that."

She giggled shyly. "Take the food. You and the lovebirds deserve it."

"We're not-" Nancy and Byers started, glancing at each other over the aisles. Cashier lady popped a piece of bubblegum in her mouth, waggling her eyebrows suggestively. The two 'lovebirds' caught each other's gaze and quickly glanced away, their cheeks flushing bright red. I turned away, disgusted. My eyes focused on the TV, namely, my face.

S***. My face.

"Nance!" I called, angling my head to the TV. She elbowed Byers and he glanced up. We slowly moved toward the door, all food abandoned, the bulletin calling for our arrest over the murder of Will Byers playing in the background.


	4. Jonathan (Chapter 4)

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or this universe.**

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**Jonathan:**

Crap. This was not good. I scratched at the tattoo on my wrist, pacing back and forth outside the car. It was practically buzzing underneath my skin. Of course, as soon as we didn't need my powers they made a reappearance. We were a few miles from the gas stop, and we still had no idea what to do. Steve drummed his fingers against his leg, and Nancy sat on the hood of the car, biting her lips. Not that I was staring at them. Because I wasn't.

The sun was getting lower in the sky. Soon it would disappear completely. Red and orange brushed the tops of the trees, casting long shadows on the seemingly infinite stretch of road. It was beautiful. I wish I could take a picture of it. My hands reached for my camera, but it wasn't there. And it hadn't been, for some time now. Thanks to King Steve.

I sighed. Brooding wasn't going to get us anywhere.

"We need to find somewhere to sleep." I announced.

"How about the car?" Nancy suggested, clearly haven given this topic some thought.

"I'll pop the trunk and check for blankets, or something." Steve volunteered.

"Great. Thanks." I said automatically, before immediately regretting it. I'd never thanked this man in my life, just like he'd never thanked me. Steve gave me an odd look and I glanced down my hand in embarrassment and willed it to disappear. And slowly, it faded away, the rest of my body following. I walked over to the car and climbed up on the hood next to Nancy, re-appearing with a nosebleed. She jumped. I smiled.

"Jesus! I thought you were that… monster." My smile faded.

"I forgot about that."

"Me too."

"So, where do we go now?"

"Well, we're fugitives of the law, so we keep running, I guess."

"My mom's probably losing her mind right now, trying to talk to me through the kettle or something." I shook my hair out of my eyes.

"Yeah. I bet Mike hasn't even noticed I'm gone." Nancy said with a sad smile, tears welling in her eyes.

"I'm sure he has. I'm sure he's looking for you right now. Especially after he learned there was a reward for your capture." She laughed and sniffled, a single tear rolling down her cheek. I wiped it away with my thumb, purely on autopilot. As soon as I realized what I had done, I pulled my hand back, humiliated, my face a bright shade of red. My default responses were not doing me any favours today. Nancy and I sat in awkward silence until Steve shouted.

"Guys! I found blankets!"

We rushed to the back of the car.

"Anything else?" I asked.

"Nah. Just a lighter and an old baseball bat." _Well, at least we can defend ourselves with them._

"Don't forget about the guns." Nancy tossed two into the back.

"We'd have more if we didn't forget the supplies we just conned off of Gas Station Gertrude." I mumbled.

"Gas Station Gertrude?" Steve said with a chuckle. A small smile appeared on his face, my own mirroring his, I'd imagine. "I have on good authority her name was Seven Eleven Sarah." We all laughed and climbed into the car. All was silent except for the occasional shuffle of a blanket.

"You know, if we didn't decide to become superpowered fugitives, I'd be taking a math test on Monday." Steve pondered. _As if it was a decision._ I scoffed in my head.

"Did you study?" Nancy asked.

"Hell no." He laughed. "So, I guess this is better than Ms. Foggert's class, huh?" We all voiced our agreement.

"One time, she called on me to answer a question, and I didn't know the answer, so she threw a stapler at me." I said.

"Which one?" Nancy asked.

"The yellow one. Shaped like a shoe."

"According to her, I'm the devil incarnate himself." Steve smiled, puffing out his chest. "She even tried to perform an exorcism on me, claiming the school's water was holy. She poured it over my head and practically strangled me with her rosary. I was in grade 8. I think I cried for three hours afterwards."

"When we were doing algebra in grade 7, she taught us wrong, so Barb and I read every book the library had on it, arrived at school early the next day, and taught the entire class the right way. You should've seen her face. She looked like a bloated tomato. We got detention for a week, but I think we were riding that high for almost a month." Nancy giggled. It was a beautiful sound, and I longed to hear it more often.

"The last place I imagined spending a Tuesday evening was with Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers, on the run from the law." Steve said.

"Well, stranger things have happened." I laughed.

"Nah. I think we're the strangest things." Nancy admitted.

"Is that our team name now? The Strangest Things?" I asked. She giggled.

"Sure." She pulled the thin blanket closer to her chin.

"Y'know, you're not so bad, Byers-Jonathan." Steve amended.

"Neither are you, Steve. Neither are you." I answered. I rolled over in my seat, staring out the dark window, and slowly, I drifted off to sleep.


	5. Nancy (Chapter 5)

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or this universe.**

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**Nancy:**

I woke up to late morning sunlight streaming in from the front window, and Jonathan's head resting on my shoulder. Without thinking, I studied his face, from the way the sunlight hit his cheekbones, to how his hair fell in a gentle sweep over his forehead. He looked so peaceful, like all was right with the world. A smile crept across my face.

_Snap out of it! _I told myself. _Jonathan's not your boyfriend! And besides, he doesn't feel the same about you. _I sighed and turned away, inadvertently shifting my shoulder and startling him awake. He inhaled deeply, blinking quickly before realizing where he was lying.

He sat up quickly, clearing his throat and blushing a brilliant shade of red.

"So… Steve's not up yet?" He glanced at the back seat, pulling his crumpled jacket further up his arms. I swallowed hard and turned away.

"I don't think so."

"I think… I think today we try to make contact with our families, just… tell them we're alright. We don't have to say what.. happened.." His left hand flickered in and out of view, as if in response to what he said."just that we're alright."

"I agree. We just need to get Steve on board. And besides, the bad men can't have tracked us this far." I rationalized. Jonathan nodded.

I heard Steve stirring and I turned around, trying to keep my voice normal.

"Hey Steve."

"Hi. What time is it?"

"Around noon."

Steve sat up, rubbing his eyes. "I heard you two talking. Something about sending a message to our families?"

"I thought you were asleep." I murmured. Steve being awake made my exchange with Jonathan that much more awkward.

"I'm a light sleeper." He kicked his thin blanket off and leaned forward, pushing his hair out of his eyes. I kicked my feet up on the dash and watched cars rush past us. So normal. All rushing from one place to another, whether it be work or play motivating them to wake up early, get in their car and drive.

"There's a payphone a few miles behind us. I saw it yesterday." Steve piped up from behind me.

"That would be great, but we're almost out of gas, so we don't have time to backtrack." Jonathan sighed. "I didn't even think to get some at the 7/11." He rested his head on the steering wheel.

"I say we keep driving, find a rest stop and hopefully a payphone." I suggested.

"Sure. That's a better idea than going back towards the people who want to kill us." Jonathan started up the car, and we drove in silence. I absentmindedly rubbed my fingers over my tattoo.

"What do you think they mean, the numbers?" I asked, chewing on my chapped lip.

"I don't know. But, where we were held, it looked like a lab, and I definitely wasn't able to shatter glass with just pure willpower before. So my best guess is that they tested something on us." Steve said.

"So we're lab rats then." Jonathan tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"Apparently so." I whispered, before Steve spoke again.

"I guess you were right, Nancy. We are the strangest things. I mean really. Three teenagers on the run from the law because they used their newfound superpowers to escape from a super-secret testing facility, all while trying to solve two missing persons cases. It sounds like a bargain-bin Stephen King book." We all laughed, almost missing the sign announcing that there was a rest stop at the next exit.

"You know, if we weren't fugitives, this would almost be nice." I stared out at the trees flying past the car, their leaves beginning to change colour and fall. "A spontaneous road trip." I signalled for Jonathan to turn.

"But only if we didn't have to sleep in the car." Steve added. "Or if we had more people."

"Like who, Carol and Tommy?" Jonathan scoffed. "They're Grade-A jerks." Steve hesitated for a moment before replying.

"I mean, you're not wrong." He said quietly.

"Then why do you hang around with them?" Jonathan asked.

"I just…. I dunno. We've been friends forever, I guess.." Steve trailed off.

"Just because you've known someone for a long time, doesn't mean that they're a good person!" Jonathan sighed.

"You know what, Byers? My social life is mine and mine alone, why do you care who I hang out with? At least I have friends! Unlike someone.." Steve glared. I sighed. They were doing so well, too.

"I thought you were getting better, but I guess you're still a douchebag." Jonathan shot back.

"At least I'm not a stalker!"

"I was looking for Will!"

"Shut up!" I yelled. "We're here." I pointed at the rest station we almost passed.

Jonathan gritted his teeth and parked the car.

"Get some gas, King douche. I'm going to find a phone." Jonathan stepped out of the car, slamming the door and starting toward the rest stop.

"Steve.." I started.

"Just go. Your boyfriend probably needs you." He muttered. I glared at him and opened my door, my heart pounding in my ears. "He was right, you know. You are a a**hole." He flipped me off and I closed the door, running after Jonathan.

I found him inside a small store, offering nothing but cheap keychains and candy bars. No one was manning the cash register. Jonathan was digging through his pockets, multiple quarters lined up by an old phone, it's cord frayed and blue paint peeling.

"Hey." I grabbed a candy bar off the shelf and unwrapped it, all qualms about stealing gone with my dignity.

"Hey."

"How much do you have?"

"About three dollars. Will always needs quarters when he goes with his friends to the arcade." He smiled, mostly to himself. I noted he still spoke of Will in present tense, like he was still here, like he wasn't... "Do you wanna call first?" Jonathan offered quietly.

"It's fine, you can." I picked at my fingernails.

"My mom probably won't be home anyways, so.." Jonathan held the phone out to me. I picked it up and dialed my home number. I could hear the call ringing through, and I rested my head against the grey wall. _Come on Mike, come on! For once in your life, pause your D&D game and answer the goddamn phone!_

"Hello?" It was Holly.

"Holly! It's Nancy! Is Mom there? Or Mike?"

"Mikey's downstairs."

"Can you put him on?" I heard scuffling, and Holly calling to Mike.

"Dustin, I told you, El hasn't-"

"It's Nancy." I said quickly.

"Nance?" He gasped.

"Yeah, it's me, it's me." God, how I missed that whiny brat.

"Are you okay? Will you be home soon? I mean, I've seen the news and everything, but the cops'll realize their mistake and call off the manhunt, right? Because you obviously didn't kill Will, and-"

"Listen, I can't talk for very long, but I just needed to tell you I'm safe, okay? Make sure you tell Mom." Tears were rolling down my cheeks now.

"She's been stress baking. She can't believe that her little girl would kill someone." Mike laughed, then sniffled.

"Date squares?"

"And coconut pie."

"How's Dad?"

"I think he's in shock. He keeps muttering about how much he hated that Harrington boy, and that he knew he was nothing but trouble."

"And Holly?"

"She thinks you've gone to pony land." I glanced at Jonathan and he smiled reassuringly.

"Listen, I've gotta go, but I'll.. I'll try to be home soon. Be good, okay?"

"Okay. Love you."

"Love you too." Mike hung up and I collapsed into tears. I didn't know it was possible to miss a person this much. But I longed to be home, eating meatloaf and kicking Mike under the table. I slid down the wall onto the ground.

Jonathan waited for a moment then sat next to me. I leaned into him, the material of his jacket rough against my skin.

"Why us?" I asked. "Who decided we deserved this? I just wanna go home, maybe call Barb, chat to her about our homework, then go and yell at Mike for stealing my money. I don't want to be able to break people's arms with a thought, or have to sleep in a car on the side of the road." I was surprised at how childish I sounded, but I continued. " A few years ago, I failed a math test I had spent hours studying for. I went home and cried for two hours. I said that was the worst day of my life, and my mom told me worse would come. I would do anything to go back to those days, before all of this." I gestured to the payphone, my tattoo.

"Hey, look at me." Jonathan said gently. "It isn't fair. You don't deserve this, none of us do. But it happened, so we need to be strong. We need to be strong for Mike, and Will, and Holly. Can you do that?" I nodded and he pulled me into a hug. We clung to each other like we were the last people on earth, like tomorrow the sun would explode.

"Thank you." I whispered. Suddenly, I heard the door to the shop open. Jonathan and I sprung apart. It was Steve, breathless.

"They've found us."


	6. Steve (Chapter 6)

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or this universe.**

* * *

**Steve**

Nancy slammed the car door and ran after Jonathan. I climbed into the driver's seat and lay on the horn, screaming in frustration. I earned a few aggravated honks back. The driver parked next to me jerked up from his seat, obviously just woken from a nap. He rubbed his eyes and flipped me off. I returned the gesture, along with a few choice words.

Why did Byers always have to make everything so damn complicated? Just when I was starting to think he wasn't so bad, he goes and insults my friends. _He's not wrong._ A voice said inside me. Carol and Tommy are a**holes, but still, they're my a***holes. _Just because you've known someone for a long time, doesn't mean that they're a good person. _Byers' angry words came back to me. Fine. Maybe they were cruel, and vindictive. And intent on maintaining the status quo, but they had good features, like... loyalty? I sighed. Who am I kidding? They'd abandon me in a heartbeat. Maybe Jonathan had a point. A sudden commotion outside drew my from my ponderings.

I peered out the back window. The man I woke up was talking to a group of heavyset policemen, and gesturing at our car, his expression panicked.

"S***! S***! S***!" I threw the door open, hitting the car next to me and setting off the alarm. The police whipped their heads toward me, but I was already sprinting toward the rest stop.

"Stop!" One called, and I pushed myself to go faster, and I silently thanked Coach for making us run laps before games. I threw the door open and surveyed the store, my pulse quickening. Nancy and Jonathan were sitting next to the phone, the former's face red, tears running down her cheeks.

"They've found us." I swallowed.

"What do we do?" Jonathan stood up, drumming his fingers against his leg.

"We fight." Nancy said, her voice quivering.

The door opened again, and I heard heavy boots falling on the floor. I felt that electricity that Jonathan was talking about humming underneath my skin, screaming to be let out.

A squad of police officers rounded the corner, presumably backup called by the men in the parking lot.

"Hands up!" I shot my hands out at them, the electricity humming underneath my skin bursting out from my body. The policemen flew backwards,as if knocked over by an invisible force. I could feel blood dripping from my nose and I glanced over at Nancy and Jonathan. Jonathan nodded at me and then disappeared. I could barely hear the policemen's confused cries over the sound of my own heartbeat.

"Come on!" Nancy shouted, grabbing my arm and all but dragging me into the next aisle, where policemen were already waiting. Nancy balled her hands into fists and squeezed her eyes shut. A collective wail of pain came from the police officers.

"I dislocated their shoulders. I heard it's really painful." Blood dripped from her nose to her shirt, leaving a crimson trail running down her face.

"You terrify me, do you know that?" I said.

"Yep." A police officer raised his gun and it went flying out of his grasp, but not before he slumped to the ground.

Jonathan reappeared next to the man and gestured to the door, crimson dotting his sleeve. We bolted, oblivious to the policeman behind us, with a gun pointed straight at our backs. A loud gunshot reverberated around the room. I felt a sudden pain in my chest and glanced down. Blood was spreading across my shirt. I gasped and collapsed.

"Steve!" Nancy shrieked, kneeling next to me. I gasped sharply, something seemed to be blocking my ability to breathe. I floundered for air a few more times, each attempt as futile as the last.

"Oh god." Jonathan breathed. "What do we do?"

"Surrender." I managed to choke out.

"They'll hand us back to the scientists." He reasoned.

"No other options." I could hear more sirens wailing outside.

"Reinforcements." I tried to chuckle, but it came out like the wheeze of a deflating balloon. Everything was getting dark now, and I was really tired. "G'night." I closed my eyes, surrendering to the darkness.

"No, stay awake!" Jonathan shook my shoulder. "Steve! C'mon, I need you to stay awake!" Nancy was oddly quiet.

"I can fix him." She mumbled.

"What?"

"I can fix him." I heard Jonathan shuffle out of the way, and suddenly, the pain was gone, all gone. I felt better than I had in days.

I opened my eyes, the light stinging. I turned to Nancy, who nose was bleeding profusely.

"What did you do?" I asked. She shrugged.

"I don't know. It was like the electricity was urging me to try it, so I did."

"I'm glad you did." I said. The door burst open, and more police streamed in. If Jonathan and Nancy were as exhausted as I thought they were, there's no way we would be able to fight our way out of his one. I lay back against a shelf, raising my hands above my head.

"We can't fight our way out of this one." I said, echoing my thoughts. Jonathan let out a defeated sigh and did the same. Nancy followed. And there we sat, waiting for the police to arrive, tears running down our cheeks, watching the end of our lives unfold in front of us.


	7. Jonathan (Chapter 7)

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or this universe.**

* * *

**Jonathan**

"You have the right to remain silent, and…" The policeman's words were a blur in the back of my mind. We were going back, they were taking us back. The cold metal of the handcuffs bit mercilessly into my wrists, and blood was still relentlessly dripping from my nose. I glanced over at Nancy and Steve, both also being held against the police car and handcuffed. Nancy caught my gaze, and my own fears were reflected back at me in her eyes.

The police shoved us into a squad car, a pale haired man sitting behind the wheel, and a thin officer in the passenger's seat. He nodded at the driver and the driver started the car. I pressed my head against the window, a headache pounding in my skull. I closed my eyes, bouncing each time we hit a pothole.

Suddenly, the car came to a stop, and I slammed into the leathery seat in front of me. The driver turned around, taking off his aviator sunglasses as he did. It was the pale haired man from the lab. Steve and Nancy raised their hands, presumably calling their powers to the surface.

"I don't mean to cause you any harm. My name is Doctor Brenner and I'm here to negotiate a compromise." We all glanced at each other, Nancy and Steve slowly lowering their hands. Brenner grinned and began speaking. "Good. You seemed like a reasonable lot. I'm glad I wasn't mistaken. If you say nothing about what happened to you at the Hawkins National Laboratory, or anything about what you may have..." He hesitated. "overheard, then Andrew here may not feel so inclined to kill you. And of course, we'll clear your names, give us a few hours." The other 'officer' turned around. It was the man we stole the car from. His arm was in a sling, and a scowl seemed permanently etched onto his face. "So, what do you say?'

We all nodded, frozen in fear of what this man could do.

"Good. I wasn't looking forward to driving back with dead bodies in the trunk." Brenner said offhandedly. I glanced at Nancy and Steve. Both had blood smeared on their faces and clothing, and Steve's hair fell limply in his face. We looked like we had been through hell and back, which we had.

Soon, we passed the sign announcing we were entering Hawkins. We'd only been gone for two days, but it seemed like a lifetime.

Just as we were approaching my house, Brenner's radio crackled to life. I leaned forward, trying to distinguish any words, but all I heard was 'Eleven' and 'Middle school'. Brenner cursed under his breath and stopped the car.

"Get out and walk." We complied. He threw a set of keys at us. I fumbled for them. "For the handcuffs." And then he sped off, dust flying up behind his tires.

I limped toward my house, unlocking my handcuffs as I did, before throwing the keys to Nancy and tossing my handcuffs to the side. The sun had just set beyond the horizon, and the trees cast long shadows. Sunlight poked between the leaves of bushes, and an animal ran through the underbrush. A large hole was hacked in the side of my house and boarded up. I ran my fingers over the jagged edges, pulling back quickly when a large splinter lodged itself into my thumb.

"So, where now?" Steve asked, pocketing the keys. My car was sitting in the driveway, driven back from the army surplus store by someone, probably Mom.

"I could drive you two home." I suggested.

"Sure." Nancy jumped into the passenger seat, and Steve climbed into the back, the same configuration as in our impromptu road trip. I set out on the main road, the engine humming loudly underneath the hood. I asked them for their addresses, and they told me.

"Guess we're not fugitives anymore." I mumbled, trying to alleviate some of the awkward silence in the car.

"But it doesn't make sense! Why would Brenner go through all that trouble just to let us off the hook?" Nancy sighed, rubbing at her sore wrists.

"I'm sure this isn't the endgame. I'm sure we're in for hell. But until then we'll just have to sweat it out." Steve said, scratching crusted blood off his cheek.

We were driving past the middle school when it happened. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and an unsettling feeling washed over me. I shivered, even though it wasn't cold, then glanced at Nancy and Steve, gauging their reactions to be the same.

"You all felt that, right?" I asked. They nodded. Suddenly, the lights in the school flickered. All of them at once.

"That's not normal." Nancy said, biting her lip in worry.

"Should we?" Steve indicated in the direction of the school.

"Definitely." I turned into the parking lot, where several cars were already parked. I locked my car and we ran into the school. Immediately, I was hit with a sharp metallic smell, indubitably blood.

"S***. What happened here?" Steve gestured to a group of bodies, blood streaming from their noses and ears, flies buzzing greedily around them. Bile rose in my throat and I swallowed hard.

A scream rang out across the school, distracting me from the corpses.

"This way!" I pushed past the bodies, my heart pounding in my ears. Up ahead, I spotted a classroom door ajar, and three familiar faces inside. Lucas Sinclair, Dustin Henderson and Mike Wheeler. And a little bald girl in a pink dress.

"What the hell…" Steve stepped into the classroom as I hovered by the doorframe. Then I glanced around and realized someone was missing.

Nancy.


	8. Nancy (Chapter 8)

**Disclaimer: I still do not own these characters or this universe.**

* * *

**Nancy**

I followed Jonathan and Steve into the school, the hairs on the back of my neck sticking straight up.

"S***. What happened here?" I heard Steve say, but I was preoccupied. I had heard another voice, a familiar voice. Barb's. It was calling me, from inside the wall. _Odd._ I stepped toward a hole in the brick wall, covered in a mucus-like substance, and suddenly, a hand reached out toward me. I stifled a scream and fell back onto the floor.

"Help me!" It was Barb. I grabbed her slimy hand, trying to get a grip and pull her through the wall.

"Don't let go! I called, pulling harder. Soon her upper body was free, I gave one last wrench and she fell onto the ground, coughing. I sighed in relief and rested my head against the wall. Barb's glasses were gone, and her skin a deathly pale. Her shirt was torn and bloodied, like my own. She sat up slowly and squinted at me.

"Nancy?" Her voice quivered. I nodded, tears in my eyes as I hugged her tightly.

"Looks like you've had a rough couple of days." I murmured as she pulled away from the hug, leaving my sweater sticky. She dissolved in watery giggles.

Suddenly, Jonathan's voice rang out, "Nancy!" I helped Barb to her feet.

"C'mon, Jonathan and Steve need our help."

"Jonathan Byers and Steve Harrington. Need our help." Barb repeated, raising an eyebrow, skeptical as ever. I nodded. I would've laughed at the thought a week ago, but, here I am.

"Long story."

Jonathan skidded around the corner, almost catching his jacket on the edge of a locker.

"C'mon, Mike's in danger. Do you...?" He indicated at Barb.

"Go, I'll just slow you down." She said. I smiled at her, and regret shot through me. I hadn't seen her in days, and I was leaving her again. I shook off the thoughts and dashed after Jonathan.

When I arrived at the classroom Jonathan indicated, my heart stopped. It was the monster. The images from the forest flooded my mind and I shuddered. It was like I was there again, inside the tree. I shuddered and leaned against the doorframe, forcing myself to focus on the situation at hand. A little girl was standing in front of the monster, her hand splayed out towards it. Steve stood in the back of the room in front of Mike and his friends, None looked hurt, thank god, but if we didn't hurry up and do something, someone was bound to get injured, or worse, killed.

"What the hell…" I murmured. The little girl's nose was bleeding, like mine did when I used my powers. "Is she like us?" I gestured to her.

"She must be." Jonathan said.

"Well, then we have to help her!" I threw my hand out, but Jonathan grabbed it.

"Not her." He indicated toward Mike. "Him. She's got it under control."

I glanced towards my little brother, terror visible on his face. "Dammit. Sometimes I wish I didn't care for that little s***." I sighed and raced into the room, Jonathan right behind me.

"C'mon, we have to get you guys out of here, it's not safe." Jonathan said, glancing back at the monster.

"Yeah, no s***!" Dustin screeched.

I ignored him and crouched down in front of Mike, grabbing his arm. "We have to go!"

"No!" He shouted. "We have to help her… we have to help El!" He reached out toward the little girl, practically tumbling over my shoulder in the process,

I grabbed him around the waist and pulled him to the ground.

"There's nothing you can do to help her!" I turned his face toward mine. "We need to get to safety!"

"No!" He sobbed, tears running down his cheeks. "I promised I wouldn't leave her! And friends don't lie!" Mike gasped and pushed past me.

"Eleven!" The little girl was surrounded by a brown dust, enveloping both her and the monster.

I grabbed Mike's arm and he wrenched it out of my grip, stumbling toward the girl.

"Oh no you don't." Steve pushed past me and wrapped his arms around Mike's thin frame.

"Let me go!" Mike kicked at the air. "El!"

Eleven turned around and smiled sadly before the dust fully enveloped her and the monster. When it settled they were gone, and the lights slowly stopped flickering. Mike screamed her name once, twice, before slumping down in Steve's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Steve set him down and took a step back.

"Where'd she go? Where the hell did she go?!" Dustin shouted.

"I think she's gone." I murmured.

* * *

I slid down in my seat in the waiting room, exhausted. Will wasn't awake yet, and when he would, his family would get to see him first, obviously. The radio was set to some talk show, and the hosts had just finished clearing mine, Steve's and Jonathan's names. I would have laughed if I wasn't so tired. In the heat of the last few hours, I had all but forgotten I was a fugitive. Jonathan was already in Will's room, so I'd have to tell him when he came back. I'm sure Steve was listening from wherever he was. Mike leaned against my side, sniffling. I stroked his hair absentmindedly. Steve walked home from the school, claiming his parents would want to see him, or some other bulls***, and Barb's parents had picked her up from the school and took her to the ER as soon as I had managed to locate a phone and tell them where she was. She was bruised, malnourished and tired, but she'd pull though.

Suddenly, Jonathan flung open the door to the waiting room.

"He's awake!". Dustin, Lucas and Mike collectively gasped and pushed past me. I followed them.

"-And you had a funeral!'" Mike was in the middle of a dramatic retelling of a story, presumably of what happened to him in the last few days. Will listened bleary-eyed, but awestruck. I leaned against the doorframe, chewing at my lip. I couldn't describe it, but I had a feeling like I wasn't supposed to be there, like I was intruding. After tentatively leaning against the doorframe for a few seconds, I made up my mind, and stepped inside.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry I was gone for so long!**


End file.
